Crash boxes have hitherto been provided between front end portions of side members and bumper reinforcement. In a vehicle collision, the crash box is crushed in the vehicle front-rear direction, thereby absorbing energy.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2007-091048, technology is described such that a crash can (crash box) is formed with inward recessed beads extending in an up-down direction on left and right side faces and outward protruding beads extending in a vehicle width direction on upper and lower faces. In this crash can (crash box) of related technology, in a frontal collision or the like, the beads configure start points of buckling deformation and function as deformation start point portions when input with front-rear direction collision load of a specific value or above.
However, since the beads of the crash can (crash box) of related technology run along the vehicle up-down direction and the vehicle width direction, it is conceivable that any effect of increasing the load generated during vehicle front-rear direction crushing of the crash can (crash box) would be negligible. The related technology accordingly leaves room for improvement regarding improving impact absorption performance.
In JP-A No. 2009-113675, technology relating to a crash box is also described.